1.

Project Title

Queeriosity

PROJECT SUMMARY

Queeriosity is Open Doors annual queer youth festival based in Brisbane that has historically attracted 150 to 450 guests.

The event aims to provide queer youth a day to celebrate and be celebrated within the community. Each year, the festival is youth led from beginning to end. It provides our young people an opportunity to take ownership and pride in a festival which celebrates queer youth in many ways. The festival seeks to bring together a cohort of disadvantaged and marginalised young people in a positive way that builds character and capacity amongst one of our most vulnerable groups.

Young people are involved in the planning, implementation and execution of the event yearly which provides many opportunities they simply would not have access to otherwise. We involve young people in everything from coordinating the venue, organising catering, engaging with community organisations to showcase their support offerings at the event and they also organise and in many cases ARE the entertainment on the day. Previously, young people have performed in many artistic capacities such as singing, dancing and performing.

The event is incredibly empowering for our young people who many of which are encountering difficulties with homelessness, maintaining connection to family and community and of course, mental health concerns.

Queeriosity has previously been funded by the QLD government through youth week, however funding has now ceased. This year we are looking to make Queeriosity an even greater event by spending funds on a guest performer and more attractive venue.

2.

Project Title

Project Summary

Music is a protective factor for young LGBTQIA+ people. The RIFF Project aims to bring the goals of the Freedom Centre to life, with a music focussed approach.

1. Provide a safe space for LGBTQIA+ young people to develop and practice social and music-based skills and feel empowered through creating music and peer mentoring;

2. Provide mentoring that encourages LGBTQIA+ young people to feel better equipped to talk to others about mental health issues through music

3. Rigorously evaluate peer-to-peer mentoring as a possible tool for suicide prevention for evidence to support future resourcing The RIFF Project would be a community-based initiative, to promote pride and resilience among LGBTQIA+ young people, who are a high risk group for self-harm and suicide. The evaluation of a 2016 Trans Art Project run by FC, showed that a similar creative project would benefit the community greatly.

It would include a group-mentoring program, centred around song writing, recording and producing music. Facilitated by a respected musician in the LGBTQIA+ community (eg. Abbe May), these sessions would help to create artistic outputs that explain how to help LGBTQIA+ young people cope when thinking about issues of self-harm or suicide, in their own words and music.

The ultimate outcome will be an EP of music written & recorded by those involved in the project. It would be sold to help to raise further funds, for the much needed work of the FC. Most importantly however, to create a sense of pride and ownership for the FC community.

3.

Project Title

Velvet Expressions

PROJECT SUMMARY

Velvet Expressions seeks to tackle one of societies last remaining taboos – disability and sexuality.

Velvet Expressions aims to give a voice to LGBTQI people with disability, specifically in regards to their capacity to engage in sexuality activities of their choosing and the barriers (be it physical, environmental, social) preventing them from participating in those activities. We would like to create a more inclusive society for people with disability who identify as LGBTQI, using the tools of empowerment, choice and control.

The approach utilised by Velvet Expressions is unique. Rather than assuming we understand the needs of LGBTQI people with disability, and creating solutions based on what we feel is best, Velvet expressions will start by first listening to the stories and lived experiences of individuals, and then actively engage those individuals in the creation and design of possible solutions.

The project activity will empower the sharing of views, opinions and perspectives of sexuality and disability through individual interviews or small group discussions held at LGBTQI safe community venues, ensuring we provide any required supports to enable individuals to participate in Velvet Expressions (e.g. Auslan interpreters). With the finding, NI will create a formal analysis of the insight interviews, utilising a formal human centred design framework.

At the completion of Velvet Expressions Northcott Innovation will embark on a range of targeted fundraising activities in order to implement the solutions created and designed by the LGBTQI people with disability. Avenues for funding may include government grants, philanthropic donations, trusts and foundations.